Everyone's flashlights followed the beam of that person's flashlight, and instantly seven or eight flashlights illuminated the corpse of the assailant.
A large pool of blood had already flowed at the entrance of Jia, looking very eerie in the middle of the night.
"Oh my!"
"My goodness!"
"Jianye, you killed someone?"
Everyone quickly retreated, looking at Chen Jianye in horror.
"I... I don't know either."
Chen Jianye scratched his head, feigning a look of confusion.
His demeanor, however, put everyone at ease considerably.
If Chen Jianye had sneered and pulled out another knife, everyone would have been scared out of their wits.
"How did you encounter this person? Do you know who he is?"
Yi Zhonghai asked, forcing himself to remain calm.
"I was woken up by needing to pee at night, and I thought I'd go to the Backyard to relieve myself. I walked out to here and suddenly felt a flash of light in front of my eyes."
"That person lunged at me, I pushed him, and this happened."
Chen Jianye stammered, "I really don't know who this person is."
"Has anyone seen this person before?"
Liu Haizhong's flashlight beam landed on the assailant's face.
"Never seen him."
"This person looks quite fierce, no impression."
Everyone shook their heads.
"Let's call the Public Security, I actually think there might be a twist to this matter."
Yan Fugui held the now-off flashlight in one hand and adjusted his glasses with the other.
"Old Yan, what do you mean?"
Yi Zhonghai furrowed his brows.
"Perhaps this person is the assailant the Public Security warned us to watch out for, otherwise, who would run into our Courtyard in the middle of the night?"
"If I'm right, Jianye not only did nothing wrong but even rendered meritorious service."
Yan Fugui said with a smile.
"I think Old Yan makes sense. This person entered our Courtyard without even using the main gate."
"He definitely didn't have good intentions."
Liu Haizhong agreed.
"Sha Zhu, go call the Public Security."
Yi Zhonghai thought for a moment and instructed.
"First Master, it's late at night, what if there's an assailant outside?"
Sha Zhu was not very willing.
The Public Security had already warned not to wander outside at night.
He was quite nervous going out alone.
"Jiecheng, you accompany Sha Zhu."
Yan Jiecheng said.
"Alright then, if someone accompanies me, I won't be afraid."
Sha Zhu smiled.
Yan Jiecheng, with a look of disdain, left with Sha Zhu.
Such a grown person, not a child, what is he afraid of going out alone?
He just had to drag himself along.
"Everyone, while there's time, quickly go home and check if anyone has opened your doors to steal things or anything."
Yi Zhonghai arranged.
Everyone knew that the next steps would have to wait for the Public Security to arrive.
They immediately dispersed, each returning to their own homes to check on their household security.
"What's going on? So noisy, can't a person get some sleep?"
After everyone had gone home, Jia Zhangshi opened the door and walked out, her face full of sleepy confusion.
"Old Woman Jia, something big has happened at your doorstep."
Yi Zhonghai said.
"What big deal? Nonsense."
"Whoever is making noise outside my house and disturbing my family's sleep, they'll have to pay me tomorrow."
Jia Zhangshi glanced at Chen Jianye, her mind solely on money.
"Old Woman Jia, look at what's on the ground."
Yi Zhonghai aimed his flashlight at the corpse on the ground.
Jia Zhangshi's unfocused eyes followed the light.
What she saw was shocking, causing Jia Zhangshi to jump up in fright: "Oh my goodness!"
"My goodness!"
Jia Zhangshi trembled all over, quickly ran back a few steps, increasing the distance from the corpse.
The originally muddle-headed Jia Zhangshi instantly became alert, looking at Yi Zhonghai: "What happened to this person? How did he die at my Jia's doorstep?"
"Chen Jianye killed him."
Yi Zhonghai explained.
"You, Chen Jianye, you killed someone at my doorstep, you have to compensate me, I'm telling you!"
Jia Zhangshi turned her head and said.
"How much compensation?"
Chen Jianye's tone was calm.
"Five... at least a hundred yuan. You've ruined my family's feng shui."
"Someone dying at the doorstep, how unlucky!"
Jia Zhangshi said angrily.
"Is a hundred yuan enough?"
Chen Jianye asked very considerately.
"Well, you can add a bit more if you want."
Jia Zhangshi smiled.
"How about I give you a million, or even ten million, it's fine. Anyway, I've already killed one person, I don't mind killing one more."
"I'll burn all your money to you, not a single cent less."
Chen Jianye sneered.
Jia Zhangshi looked left and right, and there was only Yi Zhonghai by her side.
There wasn't even anyone to help mediate.
Immediately, Jia Zhangshi forced a smile: "Jianye, I was just joking with you."
"You child, why can't you take a joke?"
"Heh heh." Chen Jianye sneered twice, too lazy to argue with Jia Zhangshi any further.
From the Backyard, Liu Haizhong's startled cry suddenly came: "Oh, Lao Yi, come over quickly and take a look."
"What's going on?"
Yi Zhonghai stepped towards the Backyard, asking casually.
"The Old Lady, the Old Lady's door has been opened!"
Liu Haizhong shouted loudly.
"Ah?"
Yi Zhonghai felt something was wrong in his heart.
The Deaf Old Lady lived alone, if she encountered an assailant, how could it end well?
Yi Zhonghai arrived at the Backyard, in front of the Deaf Old Lady's house.
Liu Haizhong stood by the side with Liu Guangtian.
Xu Damao stood on Yi Zhonghai's other side.
"Want to go in and look?"
Liu Haizhong asked.
Yi Zhonghai took the lead and entered the room.
The others quickly followed.
"Old Lady, are you asleep?"
Yi Zhonghai called out softly.
There was no sound from inside the house.
"Could the Old Lady be... gone?"
Xu Damao asked with a hint of malice.
He didn't like the Deaf Old Lady.
In his opinion, the Deaf Old Lady had a nasty mouth and liked to eat good food.
"Nonsense, the Old Lady is in good health."
Yi Zhonghai criticized with a stern face.
"Stop blabbering, or the Old Lady will slap you when she wakes up."
Liu Haizhong also warned.
The group of four came to the Deaf Old Lady's bed.
"It's over, the killer must have been here. Look at this bedsheet and cabinet, they've been rummaged through."
Liu Haizhong didn't look at the Old Lady, but instead paid special attention to the surrounding environment.
Indeed, he found some unusual circumstances.
"Old Lady, wake up!"
Yi Zhonghai gently shook the Deaf Old Lady's shoulder.
The Deaf Old Lady made no movement.
Yi Zhonghai extended a finger and placed it under the Deaf Old Lady's nose to check for breathing.
No inhale, no exhale.
The Deaf Old Lady was gone.
Yi Zhonghai immediately slumped to the ground in despair.
With the Deaf Old Lady dead, his greatest reliance was gone.
Moreover, so many families in the Courtyard were fine, but the Deaf Old Lady was the one who had an accident.
Why? The Deaf Old Lady had no children and lived alone, making her an easy target.
Yi Zhonghai himself was also without heirs, and in the Deaf Old Lady, he saw the tragic shadow of his own future.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow for a kindred spirit.
"Lao Yi, how is the Old Lady?"
Liu Haizhong was also very frightened.
"The Old Lady passed away."
"Let's not move anything. When the Public Security arrives, we'll just hand the scene over to them."
Yi Zhonghai suppressed the panic and helplessness in his heart.
"You're right, everyone go out. Don't cause trouble for the Public Security's investigation."
Liu Haizhong expressed support.
And immediately took his son Liu Guangtian to leave.
Yi Zhonghai and Xu Damao also walked out of the room.
Soon, there was no one else in the Deaf Old Lady's room except herself.
